Massamba Intore and Ruti Joel, two of Rwanda’s leading Gakondo artistes, on Thursday, November 15, left Kigali for Brussels, Belgium, where they are set to headline a concert scheduled for November 16. The duo is expected to perform at the 'Ijoro Rya Gakondo' show due at the Birmingham Event Center in the Belgian capital city, where they will be joined on stage by several other Rwandan musicians based in the country. ALSO READ: PHOTOS: Ruti Joel kick off US tour in Atlanta, heads to Portland Before boarding the flight, Ruti described the concert as a reunion and celebration of Rwandan culture, where various members of the Rwandan community living in Europe will get a chance to meet and celebrate Gakondo music and its origins. This is one of the few days where I get to meet my global fans and connect with them through music and celebrate the richness of culture as Rwandans. It's happening in Brussels this week and to all my fans, don't miss it, the ‘Musomandera’ maker said. This will be Ruti Joel's first performance in Europe. It comes just weeks after he toured Rwanda performing at the MTN Iwacu muzika roadshow concerts that reached all corners of the country. The likes of Lionel Sentore, DJ Princess Flor, DJ Azam, DJ Selecta, all based in Belgium, are expected to join Masamba and Ruti Joel on the stage during the concert. Ruti Joel has had a good year musically where he performed in various US cities before returning to Rwanda to record his forthcoming album. ALSO READ: Ruti Joel gears up for first one-man show The 'Igikobwa' hitmaker ventured into music in 2012 after joining Gakondo group alongside Jules Sentore and traditional music icon Intore Massamba. But it was not until 2023 when he became a star after the release of his first album 'Musomandera', produced in a fusion of traditional and modern music genres, making him a household name in the country.
